How Awkward

The meeting was going very smoothly. Wu Chengjie, deputy director of the municipal education bureau, and Li Yuhua, deputy secretary of the Municipal Communist Youth League Committee, were warmly exchanging views with Liu Peihua, principal of No. 17 High School, on student moral education in the current period.

Su Ke, the student at the center of the incident, sat quietly on the sofa, occasionally glancing at Li Yuhua across from him. Director Wu and Secretary Li sat together on another sofa.

Li Yuhua, deputy secretary of the Municipal Communist Youth League Committee, wore a short-sleeved white chiffon blouse covered in black spots. It was tailored to fit, with a bow-tie ribbon below the collar that did a good job of concealing her full, firm bust. She wore a black pencil skirt, with the hem of her blouse tucked into it. Her legs were pressed together and angled slightly to one side. She wasn't wearing the fashionable pantyhose of the day, which made the skin on her legs look even smoother and more delicate.

The curves of her legs were beautiful, and her knees had not an ounce of excess flesh, making them look especially firm. She had her hands folded over her skirt, on her thighs. Su Ke even wondered whether, if she weren't pressing down with her hands, he might be able to sneak a peek beneath her skirt.

He shook his head slightly. This wasn't the time or place to let his thoughts run wild. Still, to be honest, Li Yuhua, the deputy secretary of the Municipal Communist Youth League Committee, really did have a unique charm.

Her long, jet-black hair was pinned up behind her head, revealing a smooth forehead and giving her a capable air. She wore just a touch of makeup, and her beautiful oval face was striking. Her gaze was exceptionally gentle. Combined with her black-and-white outfit, it gave her an elegant, dignified air.

Perhaps sensing Su Ke's gaze, Li Yuhua turned her head slightly and met his eyes. Su Ke immediately lowered his head, his heart betraying him by beating faster.

It was impossible to tell her age from her appearance. She could have been twenty-seven or twenty-eight, or thirty-one or thirty-two. Her skin was soft and delicate, and she had a youthful vitality, but her manner of speaking also carried a mature steadiness.

"Hehe, sorry, Principal Liu, I'd like to use the restroom!" Li Yuhua rose to her feet and nodded to Liu Peihua before heading for the door.

"Sure. Su Ke, show Secretary Li the way. Turn left when you go out," Liu Peihua said, pointing at Su Ke. It was only polite.

"Okay!" Su Ke stood up and opened the office door ahead of her. Then he turned and gestured for her to follow. "This way, Secretary Li!"

Li Yuhua smiled at Su Ke. Her smile was gentle as she followed him out. Her high heels clicked against the floor, tap, tap, tap. To Su Ke, it sounded as if they were beating against his heart, and he started to feel nervous again.

Luckily, the women's restroom was at the end of the corridor. He watched Li Yuhua go inside and only then let out a sigh of relief. For some reason, standing outside the women's restroom felt awkward. Even though he knew he couldn't see anything, he still glanced at the door like a thief.

The school building was quiet. Su Ke shifted his feet and listened. He heard a creak from inside, presumably as Li Yuhua opened a stall door. But the expected sound of splashing never came, leaving him faintly disappointed.

Waiting was a grueling business, especially where Su Ke was standing now. The corridor was silent, without a sound. Bored, he leaned against the wall.

What's taking her so long? Su Ke muttered to himself. He couldn't help glancing toward the door again. Though only a few minutes had passed, it felt like an eternity. He wondered whether the city's Top Ten Outstanding Communist Youth League Member might be able to earn him a few extra points on his college entrance exam.

If he really could get extra points, then it seemed he'd have to do more good deeds! Thinking of how the Flower Picking System's mission had turned him into a good Samaritan, he couldn't help marveling at how strange the world was.

"Hey! What the heck, why hasn't she come out yet?" Only now did Su Ke suddenly realize that something seemed off. Secretary Li had been in the restroom for far too long.

Five minutes? Or ten? Had it been fifteen already? What if she'd fallen into the toilet? At the thought, Su Ke felt his heartbeat go haywire. He didn't know whether he ought to knock and ask if she was okay.

Li Yuhua was just as flustered and helpless. Her hands were clenched into fists, her palms soaked with sweat, and she was forced to face a serious, awkward problem: she really hadn't brought any toilet paper.

She'd planned to wait until another woman came in, then ask for help. But who could have guessed that after all this time, not a soul had come in? She was so anxious that her eyes had gone red, and she had no idea what to do!

Should she call the young man outside? Li Yuhua agonized over it, but still couldn't bring herself to decide. Given her position, the whole thing was simply too embarrassing and humiliating.

Su Ke paced back and forth outside the door, glancing toward it every now and then. He couldn't see anything, but he still hoped Secretary Li would come out any second. Just then, a mission alert sounded.

He quickly entered the Flower Picking System's space, and sure enough, a new mission prompt had appeared on the electronic screen.

Mission: Help Li Yuhua bring toilet paper

Reward: Expert-level motor vehicle driving skills

Su Ke was completely stunned when he saw the mission.

She didn't bring any paper? No way, is that really true? Su Ke knew that since the system had issued the mission, it had to be true. But he couldn't just go in and ask whether she really hadn't brought any toilet paper, could he?

He scratched his head hard, feeling as if his heart had risen into his throat.

"Hoo!" Su Ke tried to steady his breathing. Standing at the door, he finally worked up the courage. "Secretary Li? Secretary Li?"

Li Yuhua had been stuck in the same position for so long that her back and legs ached. Just as she was feeling utterly helpless, she suddenly heard someone knocking, followed by Su Ke's voice, again and again.

Su Ke knocked, but there was still no answer from inside. With his hand on the doorknob, he could feel his arm trembling with nerves. If he went in without permission, he'd be guilty of barging into the women's restroom. He could lose his spot as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Communist Youth League Members and end up in the police station, arrested as a pervert.

"Su Ke!"

"Hm?" Su Ke suddenly thought he heard someone calling his name, but the voice was so faint that he wasn't sure. He strained to listen, pressing his ear against the restroom door.

"Su Ke!"

The voice came again, still somewhat indistinct. "Secretary Li, did you call me?" Su Ke gritted his teeth and cautiously pushed the restroom door open a crack. His eyes instinctively darted inside.